Preventative dental care for cats

Dental care is as important for your feline companion as it is for you, as healthy teeth and gums makes for a healthy cat!

Tooth and gum problems occur in 8 out of 10 cats over the age of 3. By starting your cat on a good dental regime prior to this, you can help to prevent dental disease.
Cats tend to accumulate plaque, food debris and bacteria on the outside of their teeth. This hardens to form tartar, which will then begin to irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, and eventually tooth loss. The bacteria can even enter the bloodstream and cause organ damage.

Signs of dental disease include:

Bad breath

Red or inflamed gums that may bleed when touched

Tartar build up on teeth

Loss of appetite or aversion to hard food.

The following are recommendations to help maintain healthy teeth and gums.

Diet
Dry food, raw meaty pieces, raw chicken wing tips.

Dental Diets
Royal Canin Dental Care and Hills Feline T/D are prescription diets that help to maintain dental health.

Finger brushing
Specially designed toothbrushes for cats. If gums and teeth are gently cleaned 2-3 times a week, this will help to prevent tartar guild up.

Oral hygiene products
These are added to water or applied to the teeth. They contain an enzyme which inhibits bacterial growth

Regular dental checks are recommended. This is included in the yearly check-up with their vaccination.
Dental health Plans are a routine procedure performed in cats under 7 years of age, which have early dental disease. This involves a short general anaesthetic, followed by scaling and polishing your cats’ teeth. Dental Xrays are also performed, which allow us to assess the entire tooth health above and below the gum line.

If you would like to discuss your cat’s dental health with one of our veterinarians, please make an appointment for a full check- up.